Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded a $420,476 Project Grant to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) for the period August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2031. The award funds structural and mechanistic studies of eukaryotic gene transcription regulation, specifically investigating how the CDK8 kinase module (CKM)—comprising MED13, MED12, CDK8, and CYCC—regulates gene expression through both kinase-dependent and kinase-independent mechanisms. The research addresses a significant gap in understanding how dysregulation of the human CKM contributes to neurodevelopmental disorders and cancers.

The research deliverables include cryo-electron microscopy structural characterization of human and yeast CKM components, elucidation of CDK8 activation mechanisms, and investigation of how the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of MED13 modulates mediator-RNA polymerase II interactions to control transcription. Using an integrated structural and molecular biology approach, the investigator will define how MED13 and MED13-like (MED13L) IDRs interact with mediator complexes over the five-year performance period. These fundamental discoveries are expected to advance understanding of transcriptional regulation and inform future therapeutic interventions targeting CKM-related disease mechanisms.